Scars: Prequel to Telling the Truth
by SecretSnow
Summary: We each have our scars to bear, both the visible and the not. So don't go comparing whose pain is greater. For you have never felt their pain before. You have never seen their scars before.
1. Scars

_**Scars**_

_A prequel to Telling the Truth_

-0OoO0-

**Scar **(skär)  
n.

1)A mark left on the skin after a surface injury or wound has healed.

2)A lingering sign of damage or injury, either mental or physical: _nightmares, anxiety, and other enduring scars of wartime experiences_

* * *

_-_

_-0OoO0-We each have our scars to bear-0OoO0-_

_-_

It was a gruesome scar, too say the least. Right after Luffy had defeated the Baron is when they first discovered it but when they did they asked no questions, all of them feeling as if it were something Luffy would share if he believed it to be of importance to them. It was a scar that traveled from where his neck met his shoulder on his left side, all the way down to his upper right thigh. It was deep and gruesome, and looked as if it had been opened and reopened with malice before being stitched back up with shaking hands.

It was a horrible scar that appeared years old; just beginning to fade around the edges and some of its former malice fading along with time. But Luffy would always remember the day he received that scar, as he refused to allow himself forget.

And this is the story behind that scar. The scar that taught Luffy everything he ever felt he needed to know about the world and twice as much of what he didn't.

In order to see the origins of this scar though, we must go back in time, long before he first set sail on his adventures and discovered his Nakama. We must go back seven years in time, to when Luffy was of the young age of eleven.

_-0o0-Flash Back: Seven Years Ago, Luffy's Hometown-0o0-_

"MAKINO!" A younger Luffy exclaimed. He was running excitingly, with one of the biggest smiles anyone had ever seen. One or two of the villagers smiled fondly at the boy, but most of them scowled angrily, those who were near him walked briskly to the other side of the street. Mothers grabbed their children and dragged them inside before slamming the doors shut and locking them. But the worst offenders were those who refused to even look at him, refused to acknowledge him, refusing to believe he even existed.

But Luffy was used to it and he ignored them right back.

Makino smiled warmly at the youth, for as soon as she heard her name being called she spun around to face him. She was wearing a blue top and black slacks. Her hair up in it's usual bandana and a basket of vegetables in hands, she had just finished buying the vegetables and was off to the fish monger to purchase some fish.

"Makino-neesan! Makino-neesan!" The youth continued to yell as he rapidly closed in on her. It had been about four years since Luffy had eaten the devil's fruit. He was quite used to his rubber body now but he was still experimenting with his new abilities. Currently Grandpa Garp was away on another of his important missions for the Marines. Again. It was always like this. But Luffy had always had Ace before. It was different now, what with Ace off to follow his dreams and all, but Luffy didn't seem to mind. In fact, it seemed to make him want to get out to sea sooner. So that he could catch up with his brother and surpass him eventually.

When he reached Makino he stopped suddenly and grinned at her. Makino was always good to him. She never judged him harshly and always listened to his side of things. He held out both hands in front of him in the standard 'give me' position; Makino smiled again and placed the basket of vegetables in his arms. He grinned and the two of them continued through the market. Many of the villagers looking at the young woman as if she were crazy, and others glaring at Luffy, muttering something about trickery and deceit, of course, they were all ignored as the two shopped and laughed together.

As they walked together a pair of kind green eyes followed them. Eyes filled to the brim with pride and joy as they took in the young boy happily helping Makino. They were the only eyes that followed them with kindness. Soft eyes that seemed to know everything there was to know in the world and while still holding their own childish innocence despite it all. And though these eyes were kind and soft and innocent there was an unmistakable trace of stubbornness and protectiveness and mischievousness within them as well. Those same eyes may change color and shape as the generations past and blood mixes with blood, but it is no mistake that these eyes hold an uncanny likeness to young Luffy. The same eyes that her son would have in a few years time were present on her face. She loves the boy and will protect him no matter what.

So swiftly and defiantly, the young woman walks toward her son and Makino; a smile on her face as she walks past those her glare hatefully at her son.

"Luffy! We have to get going now!" The woman called toward her son. He spun around quickly, an even bigger grin stretching his small, boyish face. Makino turns too with her ever-present smile as she greets the young woman.

"Azumi-oneechan! It is nice to see you out walking today!" Makino called out happily.

"Ka-san!" Luffy yelled excitedly, running towards to young woman, now identified as Azumi. Luffy quickly threw himself at Azumi, hugging her around the middle. Azumi laughed happily and reached down to return the hug her hands shaking slightly in the effort.

"Hello to you too Luffy, Makino-chan," She replied breathlessly, as if she had just run a great distance. Her pale face was slightly flushed and she was panting lightly but she grinned happily at her two most precious people. Luffy didn't seem to notice his mother's slightly labored breathing and flushed face, but Makino did. She gazed worriedly at Azumi, who silently shook her head at the younger woman.

"Ka-san, I was helping Makino-neesan with her shopping today!" Luffy interrupted the silent conversation, "Can I keep helping Makino-neesan?"

"I'm sorry Luffy, but we have to get back home. Dinner's almost ready anyway," Azumi replied to her son. Luffy pouted slightly but then quickly brightened at the prospect of food.

"Sorry Makino-neesan, I've gotta go now," Luffy said to Makino, "Maybe I can help you next week!" With that Azumi and Luffy said their goodbyes before turning around and began the trek uphill towards their home.

Along the way some quiet murmuring could be heard following the two. Words whispered with a malice that was unmistakably cold. But the two were oblivious to it as they continued their walk uphill. They talked and laughed as they spoke of how their days were going thus far. But Azumi was quickly tiring as her breathing began to come out in gasps and her face continued to redden, while Luffy seemed to be having no trouble at all. Luffy noticed his mother's trouble soon enough though and quickly feigned his own exhaustion so that they may rest for a while.

As they sat on the wooden bench the two stared up at the beautiful blue sky, commenting occasionally on a strange cloud that crossed the sky. Nine birds entered their line of vision as the sky began to darken. The two watched the birds pass before Azumi stood up and stretched, brushing long locks of raven hair from her face.

"We've been sitting for too long Luffy! Dinners gonna be cold!" She exclaimed as her son stood up with her. At the prospect of a cold dinner their faces turned into identical grimaces before hurrying up the hill toward their home.

-

_-0OoO0-Both the visible and the not-0OoO0-_

_-_

"Hurry up Makino-chan!" Azumi called excitedly from where she stood in an open field surrounded by woods, Luffy right by her side as shifting impatiently from foot to foot as they waited for Makino to catch up to them. Makino laughed under her breath as she deliberately slowed down and swung a brown picnic basket at her side. The two patrons before her groaned in impatience as Makino slowed down, both of them, shifting in childish impatience before a red and white plaid blanket that they had lain out.

Eventually, Makino reached the two of them with an innocent smile on her face as they glared childishly at her. Makino giggled and set the basket down. Quickly Azumi and Luffy sat down and began taking food from the basket, filling their plates as much as they could before waiting impatiently for Makino to finish filling her plate as well.

Three identical calls of, "itadakimasu!" filled the air before the three began to eat their meals. Azumi and Luffy immediately plowed into their food at a fast pace while Makino watched them in amusement before beginning to eat her own food. Soon though the two were done their food and stared longingly at Makino's plate. Azumi and luffy shared a quick glance before nodding dertimenly.

"Makino-chan! What's that!" Azumi cried in fake shock as she pointed in a random direction. Makino, deciding to play along with their scheme, looked in the direction Azumi was pointing. Swiftly, Luffy stretched his rubber arm and snatched some of Makino's meat before giving half to his mother. The two brigands quickly gorged down their reward as Makino continued to be 'distracted'.

When Makino looked back at her plate and noticed most of her meat missing she glanced at the two before her and asked, "Do either of you know where my food has gone?" The two of them shook their heads, "Than what's that stuff around your mouths?" Quickly the two of them put their hands to their mouths, rapidly rubbing away evidence.

"Crap! Leftovers!"

-

_-0OoO0-So don't go comparing whose pain is greater-0OoO0-_

_-_

Luffy stood in front the door way of his mother's room; half of him hidden as he watched her in secret. He wasn't sure what was wrong but Azumi had not moved from her spot on the windowsill for the past several hours. She just sat their, gazing longingly outside into the rain. It looked as if she were waiting for someone. Her warm breath fogged up the glass slightly, but she didn't seem to notice as she continued to sit there. Her emerald eyes were glazed over slightly and she had a far away look about her. Azumi shifted slightly and several strands her raven colored locks of hair fell across her face. She sighed quietly and continued to gaze out side.

Luffy had no idea what his mother was thinking about. All he knew was that she was sad for some reason or another. Was she missing Ace? That would make sense. He had left just the year prior to go on his own adventures. But for some reason Luffy felt as if it was not his brother that was causing their mother to be so sad. Luffy continued gazing at his mother and took her in as best as he could. Her pale face was flushed slightly with another fever, she was very nearly always sick but that never seemed to affect the way she lived her life. Luffy remembered overhearing some of the villagers talk about her. Apparently she had been a very sickly child as well.

Apparently giving birth had made her worse.

She was wearing an emerald sleeping kimono with golden designs in the shape of climbing vines. Luffy tried to remember where his mother had gotten that outfit. They didn't have very much money so Luffy doubted she bought it herself. It appeared old and threadbare though, hanging loosely on his mother's petite body, even smaller now as her latest illness caused her to loose some more weight. Another sigh from his mother snapped Luffy out of his musing as he returned his attention to his mother. His stomach growled lightly but he ignored it.

"Dragon…" His mother's barely-spoken whisper cut through the silence.

Dragon…Dragon…Dragon…

His Father. Luffy felt a surge of anger course through him. The sleeping kimono had been a gift from his father. His father had left when it was raining. His father had given his wife two children before disappearing without a trace. Luffy clenched his fists tightly. If he ever met his father he would give him a good gomu gomu no pistol right in the face for doing this to his mother. How could he do this to her, to them! Up and leave without so much as a letter in eleven years.

Why would he leave the woman that the villagers said 'Made his eyes light up with her very presence and never failed to bring a smile to his stony face'?

Luffy had never met his father, but he heard stories from Ace sometimes and the villagers occasionally talked about him too. Ace had been young when their father left, around five years old at most, he had left right after Luffy had been born. When Ace spoke of their father he always seemed so happy and angry at the same time. Luffy couldn't understand why he would leave. Everyone said that he was very, very happy with his life in the village. He had a beautiful wife, a beautiful son, a home and good neighbors; they were never rich but never poor either. Everything seemed to be going great for the man. A man that everyone said that prior to meeting Azumi was "Colder than the coldest of ice and showed less emotion than a rock".

And then Luffy was born.

No one knew why Dragon left. He just up and left about a week after Luffy had been born. No note. No Goodbye. All evidence that he had even existed was destroyed, from his birth records to his photos. Everything that held a picture of Dragon or bore his name mysteriously disappeared. Even photos from the Albums of their neighbors! The only evidence that he was ever there were two young boys and the villagers' memories of him.

A thought suddenly came to Luffy's mind.

'_Why did he stay when Ace came and leave when I was born?'_

Luffy backed away from his mother's room; he didn't want to disrupt her memories of him. He turned swiftly and as quietly as he could he walked across the hall and into his own room. He laid himself down on his futon without changing and closed his eyes in an effort fall asleep.

For some reason he wasn't very hungry anymore.

-

_-0OoO0-Because you have never felt their pain before-0OoO0-_

_-_

"SENSEI! SENSEI!" Luffy yelled as he ran bare-footed through the village. People jumped out of his way, glaring at the boy while mumbling something about 'demons' before walking swiftly away from the screaming boy. Luffy ignored these villagers as he continued running down-hill towards the doctor's home near the port. Panic was fitted across his face as he ran without stopping.

When he reached the doctor's worn down house he slammed his fist rapidly calling out to the doctor.

"SENSEI! OPEN UP! PLEASE DOCTOR HURRY! KAA-SAN! PLEASE DOCTOR YOU HAVE TO HELP HER!" Luffy repeated over and over until the doctor slammed the door opened with an angry expression on his old wrinkled face. Seeing the boy in such a panicked state immediately calmed his anger as worry took over and his white eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to make out what the boy was saying.

The doctor grabbed Luffy's shoulders roughly, "CALM DOWN LUFFY!" As Luffy took in deep pants and quieted down the doctor continued, "Now what's the matter my boy? Why are you poundin' on the door, lookin' like the devil's after ye'?"

"Norio-sensei! Quick! Kaa-san! She's sick! Kaa-san won't wake up Norio-sensei! Please! You HAVE to come!" Luffy yelled in panic. All those in the vicinity looked towards the boy in alarm. Most of them may hate the boy but they all cared deeply for Azumi, even if they didn't care for her choices.

Norio quickly grasped the situation, and with surprising speed, the old man grabbed his medical supplies and ran towards Luffy's home. Luffy quickly caught up to him and they both stared determinedly a head of them as they ran. Norio was one of the few people in the village who cared for the boy and he'd be dammed if he allowed a sweet young woman like Azumi pass before her time.

Soon the two of them made it to the home. Luffy slammed the door open and ran towards the stairs, leading Norio to Azumi. Luffy ran toward the end of the hall and slammed open another door leading to Azumi's room. Luffy and Norio quickly made there way to her side and knelt down next to her.

Azumi's breathing was coming out in great wheezing gasps, as if she couldn't get any air, her face, neck and shoulder were flushed as sweat dribbled of her face. Despite how hot she seemed she was shivering as if freezing and a blanket laid a top of her. Her skin was clammy and seemed to have a greyish tinge to it. A wet cloth was placed on her fore head, most likely placed there by Luffy before he ran to get Norio, but it was already warm. Her face was pulled in a grimace and she moaned in pain.

Norio removed the wet cloth from and placed his wrinkled hand on her forehead to try and gauge her temperature. He pulled his hand away swiftly, hissing softly at the heat. He opened his bag swiftly and began digging through it. Luffy was on her other side, replacing the wet cloth after dipping it in the cool water. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly gazing at his mother's flushed face as she fought to hold onto life.

Norio glanced at Luffy, there was no time to try and shoo him away when he could use his help. He placed the stethoscope above Azumi's heart listening to her rasping breaths and racing heart. Azumi coughed harshly, bloody fluid coming from her mouth and staining her lips red. Norio looked up in a panic as he saw what was happening. She was bleeding into her lungs. She would drown in her own blood if something wasn't done. He went back to his bag and pulled out several different bottles of medicine as well as some herbs. He threw them into a metal bowl and began to crush them all into a powder. When the medicine was fine enough he looked toward Luffy.

"Go an' get Azumi some water would ye'?" Norio asked Luffy. Luffy, who had been transfixed by the blood coating his mother's lips, snapped out of his gaze and nodded feverantly in Norio's direction before running out toward the kitchen.

Norio sighed quietly, running a hand through his wispy white hair. He removed the wet cloth from Azumi's forehead and replaced it with another cooler wet cloth. Gently, Norio brushed some of Azumi's hair away from her sweat-soaked forehead.

"Azumi my dear, what has happened to ye'?"

Soon, Norio heard Luffy's pounding footsteps as he rushed back with a glass of water. He ran back into the room and plopped down on the ground besides Azumi, spilling a good amount of water in the process. Norio snatched the glass from Luffy's hands and quickly mixed in the grey powder. He lifted her chin up opened her mouth before placing the glass to her lips and slowly pouring the liquid in. As an automatic reaction, Azumi swallowed half way before coughing violently, some of the laced water coming out in the process, when she was done coughing Norio continued to give Azumi the water.

Soon, Azumi's breathing calmed down to a light panting. Not ideal but surely better than the horrible wheezing gasps she had been taking before. Her fever had yet to break though so Norio and Luffy silently agreed to stay by Azumi's side.

It was going to be a long night.

-

_-0OoO0-You have never seen their scars before-0OoO0-_

_-_

_End of Part One_

* * *

Azumi-Safe Residence

Norio- Man of principals

Sensei-Teacher or Doctor

Neesan-Big Sister (informal)

Oneesan-Big Sister (Formal)

kaasan-mother (informal)

Okaasan- (formal)

itadakimasu-Thanks for the food

Chan- term of endearment usually used for those younger (girls mostly)

- - -

I have just gone through this chapter again and fixed as many mistakes as i could find, if I missed any please review or PM me and I'll fix them.


	2. Dreams

Scars

A prequel to Telling the Truth

* * *

**dream**(drēm)

n.

1. A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

2. A daydream; a reverie.

3. A state of abstraction; a trance.

* * *

Throughout the night, Norio and Luffy took turns in watching over Azumi. Occasionally, one would nod off for a few moments before jerking back quickly and refocusing on the task at hand. Sometime around three A.M. Azumi's fever finally broke. Taking this as a good sign Norio turned to Luffy and told him to go to sleep, doctor orders.

While Luffy slept, he dreamt. His dreams usually consisted of the usual things children dreamed about, adventures, nakama, snake-rabbits, sky islands, singing skelingtons, dessert princesses and mer-people. All the things only children would dream. Not considered real to anyone who hasn't seen them before. Normally this is what Luffy would have dreamed about. But with his mother's health hanging on the line, Luffy's worry seemed to iduce memories instead. Memories of times spent with his mother, both the good and the bad.

_}Dream a little dream{_

A seven year old Luffy runs thru the streets with a wide grin on his face and a wicker basket in his hands. Behind him a younger, healthier Azumi walks with a content smile on her face, watching as her youngest son waits impatiently in front of a vegetable stand, tapping his foot as he huffs to himself. The Vegetable Man watches the two with a grin; chuckling merrily at young Luffy's enthusiasm. Eventually Azumi makes it down to the two, pretending to ignore her son's mumbles of impatience, and turn towards the Vegetable Man.

"What'll be today Azumi-san?" The Vegetable Man asks wholeheartedly.

"Hmm…how about five carrots, six beets, three potatoes, six cucumbers, one lettuce, one eggplant, four tomatoes, and three bushels of cauliflower?" Azumi offered innocently. The Vegetable Man stared at her dumbly for a few seconds before letting out a great big tummy laugh. Azumi herself chuckled to herself as the Vegetable Man slowly regained control of himself.

"My, my Azumi-san! Are ya planning on feeding an army or what," the Vegetable Man asked kindly.

"Only my two sons and myself! Of course they _are_ growing boys." Azumi replied.

"Where is Ace anyway? Isn't the lad usually with you?"

"Haha! The boy is sleeping again! I swear all that kid ever does is sleep!"

Luffy, having grown tired of the conversation, turned his attention to the people in the market. All around there were merchants with stands up, yelling out to the bustling streets why they should shop at their shop. There were some new merchants Luffy hadn't seen in town before, most likely travelers from beyond the mountains, selling different odds and ends. All around there were people bustling around talking and laughing with each other. Fuischa Village, although a small town, was still a porting town. Not to mention that it was shipping-day, a day where the goods from each of the smaller port towns where shipped too the larger town where they would sell for a profit, that made the usual hustle and bustle increase.

Luffy glanced back at his mother and the Vegetable Man. The two of them appeared to be in some sort of haggling war, Luffy's mother was probably the best haggler in the village, able to get prices reduced to a third of the price most time. Luffy, however, didn't understand the fine-art of haggling, nor did he have the patience for it. So Luffy returned his gaze to the people of the market. Luffy loved going to the market, the noise the excitement, the air of adventure, it all seemed to fill the air and make the usually quiet Fuischa village burst with life.

Something caught Luffy attention though. It wasn't a noise or a sight, it wasn't a large display of bravery or flashiness, no, it was something else entirely. Silence. Silence filled the air and the usual air of excitement had dissipated and was replaced with a blanket of nervousness and fear. Even Azumi and the Vegetable Man had stopped their haggling. Luffy, being the curious boy that he was, whipped his head in the direction that people where staring. There was a boat in port. This wasn't unusual, not at all, not with it being shipping-day and all. But something about this boat seemed to frighten people. It was certainly more elaborate than other boats Luffy had seen. Dark, polished wood and cannons lining either side, it was a large boat and decorative, but it had obvously seen it's own share of battles, the cannons were most definately not for show like some of the snootier shippers were. Luffy moved his gaze up the mast and his eye caught what everone else seemed to be staring at. A flag. But not just any flag. No, this flag had the Jolly Roger on it making it a pirate flag. And as any young child can tell you, a pirate flag sawying from the mast of a boat would obviously make said boat a pirate's boat. And it wasn't just some scum, worthless pirate either.

This Jolly roger held three scars on one eye with two swords in the back.

This was "Red-Head Shank's" Boat.

And they were docking in port.

Luffy felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, Luffy looked up and saw his mother's face, drawn in neutral expression. Wordelessly, she maneuvered Luffy down towards the port. As Azumi, moved others seemed to be awoken from their stupor as the parted ways for them before flanking behind her. It seemed as if Azumi held an air of leadership and determination around her that others seemed to naturally follow, something that Luffy would inherit later. Luffy, reached up and grasped his mothers hand, dislodging it from his shoulder but still holding onto it tightly. He gazed up at her worridly. She was always protecting Luffy, always smiling, always fighting, always laughing. Luffy wanted to protect her too.

Eventually, They reached the port and met the pirates face on. The crowd behind Luffy and Azumi stopped several meters behind them, forming a sort of semicircle around them. A tall red-haired man, most likely the infamous shanks, met them infront of his boat. On his right side there was a tall man with black hair in a ponytail. He had a slightly square face and a cigarette in his mouth. In his sash, Luffy noted, there was a fancy rifle, obviously well taken cared of. To the red-head's left side there was a shorter, chubbier man. He had a bandanna over his head and he was eating what appeared to be a drumstick. The fatter man was grinning around his food and the tall, dark-haired one held a slightly serious look on his face. However, it was not these two that held most of Luffy's attention, no, it was the one in the middle; the one with firey red hair and determined eyes. He had a straw hat on his head and an amused grin on his face that seemed to say, 'I know something you don't know, nanni nanni boo boo'. Despite his nonchalant pose, he held an air of danger. He was dangerous and he made no attempt to hide that.

Behind them, the villagers shifted nervously, sensing the dangerous aura from the red-haired man. The crowd began to dissipate slowly, backing away as the villagers felt the fear crawl up their spines. Those with weaker wills quickly dispersed into different homes and buildings in an attempt to put some distance between themselves and this red-haired man. Soon, only those with the toughest wills remained, including the Vegetable Man, Makino, Azumi and Luffy.

Azumi made the first move, stepping forward daintily, almost as if she were in some sort of play. She stopped again closer to the three pirates and made a polite bow. Those behind her followed her example. She raised her head and Luffy saw a dangerous look of calm in her eyes, like the calm before a storm. Her posture practically screamed, 'make one wrong move and you'll regret it' as she smiled sweetly at the visitor. Sensing the challenge the red-haired man grinned widely and let out a bark of laughter.

"Welcome to our lovely town, may I inquire as too why such famous pirates as yourselves would be here of all places?" Azumi asked in a stiff and formal manner, eyeing the newcomers wearily.

"Don't be so formal now lass! Me an' my crew are just stopping here for some supplies and a bit of a break," the red-head laughed out humorously, the slightest hint of an acsent within his words "Now if I may ask, who are you?"

"My name is Azumi. Who are you?" Azumi replied a bit rudely now.

"Me? Why my name is "Red-head" Shanks! Captain of the Red-Head Pirates! This here be my first mate Ben and this tub of lard over here be chief." Shanks replied albeit a bit haughtily.

"This is my son, Luffy, and this," Azumi gestured to the town and people behind her," is Fuischa." The air seemed to be growing more and more tense. The thought of such a pirate staying in their humble village frightened the villagers. If they knowingly housed pirated they could all be killed. Quiet murmurs broke out and a nervous shifting spread through out those who remained.

"Well we just need a place to set base for a while, replenish some supplies, take a bit of a break, ya' know. Won't cause no trouble for you. Honest." Shanks said playfully, raising his right hand as an aknowledgement of said promise. Azumi stared him down a while, looking him strait in the eyes and delving into his soul. And Shanks stared right back. For a while, neither parties broke eye contact. But eventually, Azumi broke the silence.

"So Vegetable man! I'm willing to give you twenty-five hundred belli for the lot. How's that sound?"

"What!? Are ye' mad Azumi-san?! These are worth another ten hundred I'm sure!" The vegetable man replied hotly.

And with that, the village continued it's way as it was before. Paying the newcomers no real interests besides a few lingering gazes and a slight shrug. Azumi and the Vegetable Man continued their haggling, paying no head too those who stared at them exasperatingly. Luffy watched the two in surprise. How could they just ignore a bunch of pirates like that? Behind him, Luffy felt a presence, glancing up quickly he as startled to see Shanks standing there smiling down on him.

"Sure is scary isn't she?"

After that, the two were dam near inseparable.

_}You're own escape from reality{_

"Ace come on! Wake up you lazy bum!" Azumi called to her son jumping on his bed like a kid.

"Okay mom I'm u-" Ace half replied before falling asleep again. Azumi pouted childishly before a mischievous smile lit up her face. Creeping off her eldest son's bed, Azumi tip-toed down stairs and into the kitchen, Luffy was sitting at the table with his head resting against the edge, moaning about how starving he was. He looked up when Azumi came in and noticing her grin, Luffy suddenly had a feeling that this morning would be very interesting for them both.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear, a wide smile in her face and mischief glinting in her eyes. As she continued Luffy's own eyes began to glint with a similar mischief as his mother and a smile spread across his own face.

She stepped back from her youngest as they shared a look and laughed the same laugh, "Shi-shi-shi-shi(1)!"

Quietly, the two of them made their way back up the steps and into the room that Ace and Luffy shared. Azumi held up three fingers, as she silently mouthed the numbers in their count down.

'_three…two…one!'_

"**Fire!!!"**

Needless to say, when years later Ace accidentally ate the devil's fruit that allowed him to control fire, Azumi would ask her son if he still jumped out from second floor windows.

_}Dream of laughter and sunshine and sorrow{_

It was the biggest storm that Fuischa Village had ever seen. All along the streets, windows were boarded up and door locked. The palm trees swayed dangerously to the point were their tops nearly touched the ground. Fences were being ripped from the ground and anything that wasn't bolted down outside was scattered across the village. IT was storms like this that truly brought small villages like Fuischa closer together. Anyone who didn't have a home, or whose home wasn't sturdy enough to protect them from the storm, found refuge with their neighbors. Not a soul was forced out into the storm, whether they be animal or human, everyone was inside tonight.

In fact, Luffy's own home held many guests. The Vegetable Man was there, and so were Mr. and Mrs. Crocker, the owners of a small shoe store. Along with their human guests, there were four cats, two dogs, two door mice, a garden snake, and a pure white dove. Under normal conditions, said animals would be at each others throats, but due to the storm, each animal was extremely passive. Whether it was because the storm made them feel drowsy or because they didn't want to be kicked out into the rain, no one was exactly sure.

The rain pounded against the roof of their home like gunfire, relentlessly beating against the structure in hopes of destroying it. The wind howled mercilessly, rampaging through the town, lifting up objects and throwing them around like an angry child throwing a tantrum. Lightning cracked the sky followed closely by his brother thunder, lighting up the sky before echoing loudly throughout the land. The waves of the ocean reached heights like never before, becoming gigantic monsters before crashing and dying along the shoreline. The power had long since gone out and candle sticks were the only source of light.

The entire house was silent, listening to the sounds the storm made. Ace and Luffy were sitting next to the window huddled close to each other, sharing a large blanket with two separate mugs of hot chocolate as they watched the storm outside with interest. A particularly loud clap of thunder caused Luffy to jump slightly, nearly spilling his hot chocolate, witch in turn caused Ace to chuckle to himself. Ace's amusement caused Luffy to pout his lips as he grumbled about stupid big brothers.

Suddenly a loud knock reverberated through out the house. The occupants of the house stared at the door for a moment before the knocking came again, more impatient this time. Quickly, Azumi walked towards the door, unlocking the many bolts and locks before turning the knob. The wind slammed the door inwards as Azumi jumped out of the way. A large, dripping, hulking figure stepped inside, completely uninvited. He turned and closed the door with no trouble at all. The figure removed the dark hood of his rain coat from his face, revealing white hair and a hard face.

Azumi openly gaped at the stranger for a moment before smiling warmly.

"Grandpa Garp!"

For some reason, Luffy and Ace both felt as if this man was going to give them a lot of grief.

_}Because when you wake up{_

Azumi walked like a woman with a goal. Her back was strait and her walk stiff and her eyes held a sort of predatorily gleam as she snarled at anyone who even looked at her. She walked past The Vegetable Man, ignored The Cloth Lady, sidestepped The Pushy Salesman, and didn't spare a glance at The Well-Built Fish Monger. Azumi was pissed. And it was obvious to even the pushiest of salesmen that she should be left alone until someone had paid for whatever crime they committed.

Loud rambunctious laughter filled the streets outside of Makino's Bar. For only a moment, Azumi paused fuming for a moment, before slamming open the swinging doors and briskly walking in.

"SHANKS!" Azumi yelled above the noise. Instantly, the bar quieted and every pirate in there was suddenly nervously avoiding looking Azumi in the eye. At the bar, several men quietly mumbled something to the man with red hair before shaking their heads in pity and moving out of the angry mother's way.

"Shanks…Do you know what I discovered today?" Her voice was lower but it was no less threatening as she spoke to one of the most feared pirates of the sea.

Reognizing that he was alone in this battle Shanks stood silently before replying, "No…" He didn't meet her eyes as he found wall to suddenly be very interesting. Was that a fly on the wall…?

"My son…Luffy, you know the one right?" a short nod, "Yes well, I came home today and when I went to pull his cheek and it….it…it STRETCHED!" suddenly Shanks wasn't looking very comfortable as he continued to avoid her gaze. "And I KNOW, that YOU know something about it!"

"I might…" Shanks allowed as he met her gaze for the first time.

"Well…?" Azumi practically growled out.

"He…might have accidentally eaten something…" Shanks said.

"Oh? And what, if I may ask, did he accidentally EAT?" She asked the captain.

"He might have eaten a Devil Fruit…"He said shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably.

For a long moment there was nothing but thick silence as captain and crew alike waited for the unstoppable force that was and angry Azumi. She seemed frozen, in shock or anger no one could really tell. And than her body started to tremble, those around the captain stated to edge back slowly, leaving a clear view of their captain to Azumi. Some gave their condolences others just shock their head in pitty but all of them sat back for what was going to be a good show.

And than she was laughing. Azumi was laughing so hard that her entire body shook and tears leaked from her eyes. It was big, loud, musical kind of laugh that put sirens to shame. For a few moments everyone just stared at her in some kind of shock. But, if nothing else, the D family's laugh was contagious. Soon others were smiling, then snickering, then chuckling until finally the entire bar was just laughing. No one was really sure what was so funny, or even why they were laughing. The pirates pounded the tables and fell out of their chairs. A few got up and began to dance on the bar. Mugs were slammed down on the table with rum sloshing all over the place. No one could contain themselves. Because it was just so funny and so _Luffy_, that no one could really bring themselves to stop laughing.

It was then that Luffy decided that no, his mother wasn't going to kill Shanks but she would kill him if she went home and found she wasn't there. So he promptly turnd around from his listening spot and ran back home.

And it really is a shame that he hadn't stayed because if he had, he might have seen the laughter die down. He might have seen the determined look on his mother's face as she stared at Shanks. He might have seen her walk right up to him and stare up at him, wordlessly glaring at him. And, if he was lucky, he may have seen Shanks lean down and capture his mother's lips with his own.

And maybe, just maybe, he would have seen her kiss back.

_}You'll wish you were dreaming again{_

* * *

I just went through this chaptor and editied as many mistake as I could find, if I missed any, please inform me via either PM or review. Thank You!


	3. Avoid

Ahh! I am so sorry everyone! I tottally meant to update this way sooner than what I have, and I wanted to make this longer too but it just didn't work out that way! I won't make any stupid excuses saying I was busy, cuz i wasn't, and I won't say anything major happeend, cuz it didn't. but what i did have was a major case of the lazies with a side of writers block to boot! So I hope this newest chapter isn't a dissapointment. I avodied putting in my usual cool little sentences for this chapter, but i did give you a definition. The reason being well, I guess my writing style had just change in my absence.

And for those of you who are curious as to why I give definitions, well I just do it because I've realised that we may knw what a word means, we don't really _know_, definitions mean nothing until applied to something, so each chapter I give a definition for you, the readers, to apply to the story and understand the word and the story better. Though i doubt any of you really care, I'm just typing this here because i'm bored and hungry and trying to distract myself.

On another note, I'm not sure if any of you have noticed but I have been going through previous stories, starting with this one, and correcting any mistakes I find. I hope that the read is easier for you. If you see any mistakes in my stories please point them out so I can fix them.

And now, on with the newst chapter: Avoid

* * *

A-void

[_uh_-**void**] –_**verb (used with object) **_

**1.**to keep away from; keep clear of; shun: _to avoid a person; to avoid taxes; to avoid danger. _

**2.**to prevent from happening: _to avoid falling. _

**3.**_Law_. to make void or of no effect; invalidate.

**4.**_Obsolete_. to empty; eject or expel

* * *

Luffy bolted from his hammock; sweat dripping down the side of his face as he gasp deeply. Another dream about home. Another memory. Luffy moaned lightly to himself before rubbing his temples in exhaustion. He winced as phantom pain ran across his scar, he rubbed at it tenderly; dreams of the past always seemed to remind him of the pain, even if the wound was made so long ago. He was the last one up, Luffy absent-mindedly noted. The sun was shining through the window and the smell of the sea hit was strong as the waves gently rocked the Thousand Sunny. Luffy sighed. Today was just beginning and he could already tell it wasn't going to be any fun, if the migraine building behind his eyes told him anything at least. Another sigh, and Luffy hoisted himself out of his hammock and onto the floor, groaning as he missed a step and crash-landed face first onto the unforgiving wooden floor.

After several stubbed toes, face plants, and mumbled curses later, Luffy was making his was up towards the kitchen, food always seemed to help on days like this, though the building migraine was screaming at him to forget the food and just crawl into his hammock and sleep until the next of forever. But Luffy, if nothing else, was a stubborn glutton (whether it was for food or for punishment remains undecided) so he opened the door and stumbled into the kitchen. His migraine-induced heightened senses assaulted by the loud noise and bright lighting. He winced and made his way over to the table, grabbing a seat before folding his arms on the table and setting his forehead upon them.

It took a minute for anyone to really take notice of Luffy; normally he was so loud and obnoxious that it was impossible not to notice him. But today he was tired, cranky, and suffering from a migraine, so, obviously, he was not in the mood for loud and obnoxious. His crewmates stared at him befuddled for a minute, before exploding with questions.

"AHH! Is Luffy Okay!? Someone call a doctor!"

"I've seen this before! When the Great Captain Usopp fought the evil aliens who pretended to be someone else, Captain Usopp could tell that they weren't really who they said they were and showed them who was boss!"

"Yohohoho! Will you ladies show me your panties?"

"What's wrong captain?"

"Are you hungry captain?"

"SUPER!!!"

"Captain?"

"Captain?"

"Cap-"

"Oh will you all just SHUT UP!?" Luffy growled up, interrupting several of them at once. His head was pounding, his scars were aching, his stomach was grumbling and he was not in the mood to deal with so much activity in the morning. His crew mates stared at him, obviously shocked beyond belief. Luffy hadn't yelled at them like that since, well, ever! Luffy sighed and banged his head against the cool table and closing his eyes.

"…Captain?" A noticeably cowed Nami asked.

Luffy let out an exasperated, "Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Nami asked, her voice thankfully soft.

"I'm sorry, I just have a really bad migraine right now." Luffy replied, wincing as light hit his eyes again before placing his head back onto the cool table.

"I didn't think you could get migraines captain." Sanji said this time, having closed some blinds and dimmed the lights so their captain wouldn't suffer any more than he had too.

Luffy groaned in response, "Not often, but it does happen."

Chopper mumbled a quick 'excuse me' before leaving for the medical bay to find some pain reliever for Luffy.

"Is that all that's bothering you, Luffy?" Zoro asked from behind Luffy, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed as he stared holes into the back of his captain's head.

Luffy sighed, it seemed nothing could get past Zoro, "It's nothing, just some phantom pains and memories of home." He rubbed gently over his heart, where the scar seemed to be bothering him the most. Of course, both the actions and the words caught the attention of his crew.

"What kind of memories, Captain-san?" Robin asked with her usual mysterious smile. Luffy paused for a moment, wincing as another stab of pain pulsed within his temples.

"Well my mother for one." Luffy replied, anything to get them to stop talking and for the pain behind his eye quiet down. But it seems that this only got them more curious and more questions were asked.

"Your mother? Who was she? What did she look like?" Nami asked, she along with the rest of the crew, were curious, Luffy had never mentioned his mother before.

"My mother's name was Azumi, she had green eyes and long black hair." Luffy replied with a certain amount of fondness in his voice. The same vague fondness, the crew recognized, that was often used when Luffy talked to them.

Robin however noticed something else, something that her captain said that made her stare at him with a sort of sad understanding, "Was?" she gently questioned. Her simple question caused the rest of the crew to silence as they stared at their captain curiously.

Chopper chose that moment to come back into the room and he handed Luffy a vial, "Drink this Luffy!" he commanded sternly, "It will help you!"

"Thanks Chopper!" Luffy exclaimed, suddenly all smiles and brightness, grateful for the useful distraction that the young doctor had unwittingly provided.

Breakfast continued on as usual, with Luffy stealing food and laughing and joking. But now the crew learned something new about their captain, they realized something else, that they really didn't know anything about him at all.

* * *

_East Blue-Fuischa Village_

* * *

"Oi! Makino-chan! Another round here?" A burly man called out from the bar. Makino smiled politely, before making her way over to the various bottles and pulling out a fresh one, uncorking it and pouring it into the man's empty mug. He gave her a wide, drunken grin in thanks.

Makino sighed and made her way over to where she was previous, just sitting behind the bar. Soon a young woman walked into the bar, she was tall and has soft blond hair and brown eyes. "Makino?" she called.

Makino snapped out, "Ah! Chelsa! Good to see you!" she said with a smile.

Chelsa smiled and asked, "What were you thinking about?"

Makino's smile faded and she sighed heavily, "I'm just thinking about Luffy again."

"Luffy?" Chelsa inquired, "You mentioned him before, who is he?" She was curious, maybe this Luffy was a secret boy friend?

"Just a boy who live here a long time ago, he lived with his brother Ace and his mother Azumi. A lot of the villagers didn't like him, because he ate a devil fruit. When Ace left for his journey, things got a lot worse…he left the poor kid alone." Makino sighed, her eyes far away as she spoke about a laughing little boy and his family.

Chelsa on the other hand was still curious, "What do you mean alone? What about his parents?"

Chelsa's question caused Makino to snap out of her trance, she looked a bit nervous as if unsure if she should say anything more, "His father disappeared a long time ago and his mother…"

"What about her?" Chelsa asked, her curiosity peaked

"Well would you look at that! A customer just walked in! Gotta go!" Makino scurried off into the back room and Chelsa looked around, there was no one in the tavern beside Makino, herself, and some drunken guy.

With a sigh, Chelsa stared at door that Makino had scurried into; the vague sounds of someone sobbing could be heard if one ignored drunken ramblings. "She needs to work on her lying."

* * *

_Grand Line-Somewhere on the ocean_

* * *

Luffy sat upon Sunny's head, trying to find a comfortable position, though it had been months since Franky had made the Sunny, Luffy has yet to find a suitable position on the Flower's head (Luffy insisted it was a flower, Franky insisted it was a lion). Though the Sunny was still really cool, Luffy missed Merry very much and he knew that the others did too at times. Like when Sanji had to go around calling for them because the ship was to big just to yell from the kitchen, or when Nami and Robin came on deck from there work, with vague excuses about the lack of noise. Like when Zolo was late to a meal because he got lost or when Chopper spent most of his time on the deck because the medical bay felt lonely. And Usopp missing the Merry was just a given, the Merry was a gift from that sick girl, and Luffy knew Usopp was good friends with her.

"Oi Captain!" Luffy smiled and spun around in a heartbeat, his Zolo was here! He smiled widely at his first mate.

"Hey Zolo!" Luffy called happily, his smile growing at the sight of his first mate. Zolo smirked in return; no one could truly resist the pull of Luffy's smile. He leaned casually against the railing behind the Sunny's head, taking in the sight of his lanky captain.

Soon the pair fell into a comfortable silence, with Luffy string out into the sea and Zolo staring at his captain back. Such small, thin shoulders, Zolo mused to himself, so thin yet strong enough carry the weight of everyone's dreams across the sea. Their captain was so strong, able to smile in the face of danger, no matter the foe. The thought had Zolo frowning, his mind wandering to that morning. For those few moments, Luffy's shoulder seemed to slump in defeat, as if saying that he just gives up. But why would talking about his mother cause such a reaction? Zolo's frown deepened. Luffy had seemed so weak and so vulnerable for those few precious moments. Zolo needed to find out who it was, what it was, that was causing such pain in his captain so he could find it and cut it so it could never hurt his captain again.

"Hey captain?" Zolo called out to Luffy.

"Ehh? What is it Zolo?" Luffy responded, having turned around to face Zolo once more.

"What was your mother like?" Zolo asked, he knew that whatever it was that was causing his captain pain, it was connected to Luffy's mother, though he had no idea why.

Luffy, on the other hand, froze for a moment; he wanted to tell Zolo everything. Most days he can't even think about his mother, much less talk about her, do to the pain it caused him. And here he was feeling the strangest urge to just tell Zolo everything, how strange.

"Why do you want to know?" Luffy shot back, confused and trying to avoid the question.

Zolo raised an eyebrow, now he knew something was wrong. Luffy was a strait-forward person, he was the type who would charge first and ask questions, never. And yet here he was avoiding a question about his mother. Something about Luffy's mother was causing him pain, and Zolo needed to know what it was. "Call me curious," He responded dryly.

"My mother…"Luffy began hesitantly, "I loved her more than anything, she was my world. But at the same time I hate her more than I ever thought possible."

There it was again, Zolo realized. He was using past tense to describe her but at the same time he still hated her. "Why did ya hate her?" Zolo asked. Luffy was never the type to hate anyone, not unless they hurt someone Luffy cared about first. For a moment Zolo felt his insides froze as a sudden thought crossed his mind.

He remembered a long time ago, when Kuina was still alive, a young boy had come into the dojo, crying and covered in bruises. At the time Zolo had scowled at the boys tears, believing firmly that boys should never cry no matter what. But sensei had bee kind and smiled and asked what was wrong. TO this day Zolo can still remember the words the boy had said between sobs.

"My father! He-he keeps hurting me and mum!"

At the time Zolo had been baffled, parents weren't supposed to hurt their kids! It was just wrong! It went against the parent code or something! He doesn't remember what happened to the boy, he doesn't even know the boys name anymore. But for some reason those words stuck with him, coming back to him at odd times. Like right now, with Luffy avoiding his eyes and trying his best not to talk about a mother who he both loved and hated, and he wondered if Luffy's mother had hurt him as well. Anger seemed to simmer as he waited for Luffy to respond, to deny, to confirm, to do something!

"Because she died trying to kill me"

* * *

And now you all hate me! Yeay! Please review and give me all your threats and hate and love~!


	4. Mother

So yeah…it's been a while. My writing style has changed again, I think I'm better then what I was, as some may have noticed I've been going back and changing things in my other stories to reflect that. Mostly grammar changes and taking and adding some things that didn't make sense with or without them previously. Yes, I'm a horrible person who has been suffering major writer's block since forever ago, but here I am now! But it's really thanks to a strange stranger with strange tendencies and stranger strangeness that I even wrote what I did today, so if you can figure out who she is (because she sure know who she is) you should thank her! Because this strange stranger whose strange guilt tripped me into writing what I did here.

Now this is Unbetaed, so any mistakes should be kindly put into reviews so that I may fix them, pretty please? Also, for future and past reference alike, I get all my definitions from dictionary . com. Go internet!

Please enjoy this, also, please don't kill me if you don't.

* * *

moth·er[muhth-er] –noun

1. a female parent.

2. the qualities characteristic of a mother, as maternal affection: It is the mother in her showing itself.

3. something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else; origin or source.

* * *

The tie which links mother and child is of such pure and immaculate strength as to be never violated. ~Washington Irving

* * *

To him, she would never cease to be beautiful. Her kind smiles, jade eyes and hair like raven's feathers. If it weren't so girly he would spend hours just playing with his mother's hair, so like his own. Luffy loves his mother; there is no denying it, no belittling it. And Azumi loves him in turn.

Fuicha, on the other hand, does not love Luffy, but they do not hate him either. They fear him, which is far more dangerous then hate. Fear leads to justification; it allows a person to feel as if they are right in any actions they take, to eliminate the object of fear. You can hate a person without destroying them, and you can fear a person without taking action. But when a large group of people fear the same person it is far easier to take action against him or her.

Such is the case one evening, when a singular phrase uttered under a drunken stupor becomes the battle cry of an entire village out for the blood of a little boy.

"Demons should be dead."

Now the most ironic aspect of this statement is enough to make a person laugh, or perhaps cry, or perhaps even both, is that the person who uttered this sentence hadn't the slightest clue who this "Luffy" person is. He hadn't the slightest idea what his words, the words of a traveling drunkard, would have such an impact on the village. He was referring to personal demons, demons that lurk in the corners of darkened minds and strike when one is at their weakest. Those that overheard him though of a little boy with an evil smile and hair like blackest night.

Thus a domino effect is created and molds itself into a mob with chants and flames and pitchforks. And a good Doctor slips away into the dusk to warn a sickly mother and her child of what is to come as the mob grows and spreads like infection.

"Azumi! The village has gone mad, you and Luffy must leave now!" Norio yells, his fists banging on the wooden door desperately.

The door is opened, and Norio is quickly ushered inside, "How far are they?" she rushes, her voice like laced daggers, "How many? How far? How long do we have?"

"Nearly the entire village, I don't know, and the sooner ya get outta here the better." He replied quickly.

Azumi nodded, her green eyes dim with worry and sweat gathering on her brow, "Norio, you get out of here, okay? They don't need to see you here, I already have plans in place for this sort of thing."

"But Azumi-!"

"No Buts! I'm sorry, but you'll only slow us down! Don't worry, we'll be fine, I promise!"

Hesitant for only a moment, Norio gave a nod and left without another word. Immediately, Azumi began packing whatever she could into bags, food, photo albums, clothing, money, and whatever else she could think of on the spot.

She ran up the stair and burst through Luffy's room, "Time to get up!" she shook his out of grogginess and began packing his clothing into a bag as well, "We're going on a trip, get whatever you need right now and leave what you don't! Hurry, hurry, we're running really late!"

Groggily, Luffy sat up and grabbed his straw hat from beside him, mashing it onto his head, "M'kay, I'm ready," he mumbled, rubbing the sand out of his eyes.

Azumi blinked one, then let out a quick bark of laughter, "That you are! Now come on, we have to hurry!" She arranged the two bags filled with their necessities so that she could maneuver her hands freely and scooped Luffy into her arms.

"Mom! I can walk!" he wriggled as if to make a point.

"No, you can't we have to hurry."

She flew down the steps and opened the front door, pausing in horror as she stared down the hill to the village.

"Mom? Are those fireflies? There's so many!" A faint rumble could be heard, like rumble, as the floating lights rapidly came into view, illuminating fear0twisted faces and a chant falling upon the frozen pair like a wave, "Demons should be dead! Demons should be dead!"

Snapping out of her fear-driven stupor, Azumi ran as fast as she could around the house, the bags heavy on her back and Luffy clenching to her shirt like a lifeline, his eyes wide, face pale, and grin absent from his youthful face.

Into the forest they ran, followed by loud voices that never faded with distance. They were being chased, having been spotted fleeing their home. She tripped, and got caught on sharp edges, but she never said a word as she clenched onto Luffy tighter and tighter, her nails digging into elastic skin.

"Mom…?" Luffy trailed, his voice soft and cracking.

"We're just going on a little trip, Luffy." She panted, not pausing in her run, "just a little trip, nothing to be afraid of."

"Ok." He replied, trusting in his mother's words.

"There they are! Over here!" A loud yell filled the forest, and Azumi didn't have to look back to know that they'd been caught.

With new vigor, she pushed her legs to take her further, dodging around trees as her breathes came in shorter and shorter pants, her faces pale besides an unhealthy flush on her cheeks and sweat making her face and palms clammy. Her body was failing her. Her stupid weak body was failing her at the worst of times as the dogs of Hade were snapping at their heals.

The forest broke into a clearing; tall grass came up to Azumi's waist as before she let her self slide down against a tree, the grass fully covering both herself and Luffy. Luffy finally wiggling out of his mother's grasp, sat besides her, clenching onto her hands desperately as he watched her face. Watched as his mother tried fruitlessly to catch her breath after what felt like hours.

"Luffy…"she panted harshly, wheezing on the intake, "Luffy, I don't think…we'll be taking…that trip…"

"It's okay, mom, we'll be okay, we can still take the trip mom," desperate to reassure her, his knuckle white with how hard he held onto his mother's hands, "we'll be okay."

A breathless laugh, "Luffy…I'm sorry, my body…. isn't strong enough…I can't even…breath…. right now…I'm glad that…you're healthy…. like your father…Luffy."

Tears streamed down from Luffy eyes, sobs escaping him as the stress began to overcome him, "Whad are day gonna do to us, mom?" he chocked out, trying to muffle the sound.

She gazed at her son, nine years old and still so very small. He may be healthy like his father, and have his father eyes, but he's built just like her, small and twiggy, delicate to the point that he would probably look either very feminine or very child-like, as he grew older. The straw hat he'd gotten from Shanks enveloped his head, far to big and she felt her lips twitch at the thought of how he would someday fill that hat like a son fills his father's boots.

The yelling got closer, firelight illuminated the field faintly as the mob drew steadily closer. Morbid words and hatred spewed from sneered lips. Men and women alike gathered for what they called "The great burning of the demon!"

So they were going to be burned to death. How ironic, considering the predicament her other son was in. Her lips twitched again but with a desperate tinge to it. Her breath wasn't slowing after several minutes, her body could barely move and her heart was still pounding. She tried to get up again, but her head swam in white light and she collapsed again, the world spinning around her. A desperate sob, "Dammit…! Dam this body of mine…!" frustrated tears slipped from her clenched eye lids, brows furrowed in anger and sorrow and yelling voice drawing ever nearer.

"Luffy…you have to run…you have to get away…I can't go on…my body…I can't, Luffy…I'm sorry…"

"No!" he whispered-yelled, shacking his head like a dog with an itch, "No! I 'm not leaving you mom! I can't, I can't, I can't leave you! You're my mom! I just can't"

She tried her best to sound commanding, powerful, like the woman she was twelve years ago when she first met Dragon, "Enough Luffy…! Do as I say…! Leave, now!"

By the worry that etched itself across the face of her son, Azumi guessed she failed.

They weren't far now, the mob. The only reason they hadn't been found yet was because the mob was being extra-through, checking his ever hole, tree, and rock they passed for the rats they needed to exterminate.

She pulled on of the bags from her back, tears slipping from her eyes as she dug through it, the air around her was desperate to the point where most would consider it insanity. She paused for a second and looked at her son, panting and wild-eyed and crying, "Close…Close your eyes…Luffy…Everything…Everything is going to be okay…I promise."

"We're gonna get out of here?" Luffy asked, closing his eyes, "you found a way, mom?"

"Yeah…Yeah I found a way…this…this is the best…I promised to…protect you…in anyway I could…this is the best way…. the only way."

"Okay mom."

She stifled a sob and pulled her hand from the bag, fists clenched around a pistol, hands shaking and knuckles white. She would protect Luffy, in everyway she could. Even if the only way she could do that was a painless death.

She cocked the pistol with a metallic click, and Luffy cocked his head to the side, curious but unquestioning. Eyes closed and a smile on his tear stained face, "Luffy…I love you…I love you so much…I'm so, so sorry…"

His brow furrowed in confusion as the gun settled itself between his eyes, the cold killing device not touching his flesh but hovering above it, as if being repelled by some holy force.

"There they are!"

BAM!

For a moment, a split second, Luffy was scared. The mob had fired guns at them! But all Luffy felt was his flesh caving on itself with a white-hot center, like someone was poking him too hard with a metal pole heated by the sun. And then it was gone the next instant and a sort of gurgling, bubbling noise filled the air as liquid heat splashed across his face.

His eyes snapped open, staring down the barrel of a smoking gun. He followed it up to a pale shaking hand, and followed the hand up an arm, to a should and facing the face of his mother, her face casting shadows on itself as the firelight flickered across it. Blood pour from her mouth in time with the bullet wound in her chest. Her green eyes were dilated to tiny pinpricks and tears streamed down her face.

Her mouth opened again, half a syllable escaped her mouth before being followed by blood. The gun fell from her hands and Azumi slumped forward, her body not making it to the ground as it caught itself on Luffy's prone figure for a moment. A few heartbeats, everyone is frozen in shock, and does not speak as her body slips to the side and hits the ground with a thud beside Luffy still prone body.

Liquid heat pools around the two, and Luffy is frozen still, cold on the inside despite the heat flowing around his knees and through his hands.

His mother is dead, she died trying to kill him, she's dead and Luffy should be dead, because humans can't stop bullets. Humans don't survive gunshot wounds to the head (or the heart). Humans aren't made to survive that sort of thing.

Loud voices fill the clearing the feet begin approaching and fire illuminates his mother's still form painted red and Luffy can't help but think, quite simply, 'I guess I am a monster,' before a large burly hand pulls him from his mother.

* * *

So yeah...I swear on my grave that I won't take so long to update again...so...please don't kill me?


	5. Denial

Note: unfortuanatly I know you all are going to hate me, nothing really happens here. Unfortunatly this chapter had to happen to get me from B to C so I could get to D, but from this point on there's only one or two more chapters left. And yes, I am aware I once again took for-freakin'-ever. I am a horrible person who's inspiration is running dry, but I will not give up until I'm dead. If I do not update this story for an unreasonably long amount of time, please assume I am, in fact, dead, and mourn me appropriatly/curse my name to the skies above. (or just PM me, I always respond to those so if I am dead I won't respond, easy, see?)

Yes I am being pessimistic, but one of my biggest fears is that I will die and none of my internet friends/readers of my stories will know because, well, I'd be dead. So I'm just giving you all a failsafe to fall back on if I don't update for long periods of time.

Normally I respond to all reviews, but I'd like to thank all of you who have that I have not personally thanked yet, especially the one who paid a most wonderful compliment, saying that he or she waited more eagerly for my updates then for the actual chapters. You know who you are, sweetie, thank you so much!

On another note, all my definitions come from Dictionary . com

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**de·ni·al [dih-nahy-uhl] –noun**

1. an assertion that something said, believed, alleged, etc., is false

2. refusal to believe a doctrine, theory, or the like.

3. disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing.

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Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. And when the dam bursts, all you can do is swim. The world of pretend is a cage, not a cocoon. We can only lie to ourselves for so long. We are tired, we are scared, denying it doesn't change the truth. Sooner or later we have to put aside our denial and face the world. Head on, guns blazing. De Nile. It's not just a river in Egypt, it's a freakin' ocean. So how do you keep from drowning in it?

~Meredith Grey

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He awoke with a gasp; sweat pouring down his young face as he scoured the room for demons of different shapes and sizes. There's nothing, he tells himself, it was merely a dream, mother is downstairs making meat for breakfast, she did not try to kill him, did not get chased out of town by an angry mob of neighbors and most certainly did mother not die, her blood and brain matter showering him.

Luffy denied for all he was worth, clenched his eyes shut and trembled with the sheer effort involved in denying the truth. The truth, however, was never and is never one to be denied. Proof being the sticky, crusty feeling of dried blood and sweat clinging to his skin and the smell of death lurking in the air like a cruel ghost. Proof being that what lied beneath him was not the soft, worn, mattress of home but the hard, unyielding, coldness of rotting wood.

He had been found, and no amount of denying would change the fact that he was now nothing more than a trapped animal in the basement of a butcher's house. He shivered, moved, and cringed. Opened one eye, closed it again, breathed, and as one released a quiet shuddering sob. Luffy's body shook, trembling from the tips of his hair follicles to the ends of his toenails. Her curled into himself, exhaustion showing in the way his rubber muscles actually spasmmed, they hadn't done such a thing since he'd eaten the Gomu Gomu No Mi All those years ago. Sobbing as quietly as he could into his drawn up knees, Luffy did his best to not think even as his mind played and replayed the scenes of the past few hours (Days? Months? Years?) leading up to this point.

Luffy was alone in the world, there is no Makino, there is no Doctor Norio, there is no Shanks, there is no Ace, there is no Mother. There is only Luffy, the rotting wooden floor, and whoever it is that's waiting upstairs, to kill him no doubt.

He despaired; with no mother, there was no hope, no point, in anything. How was he to live if he had no mother to live for? How was he to live without her smile? Her presence? Her fabulous cooking skills? Who would he tell his accomplishments, who'd hold him when he cried, who'd see him be Pirate King?

And it is then that Luffy stops, like a switch being flicked or a faucet being closed. The fog in his mind had been cleared, because he had something still: his dream. And it's not like Makino and Ace and Doctor Norio and Shanks are gone, they're still alive, still waiting for Luffy to fulfill his promise. Mother might be gone, Mom, Mamma, Mommy, Mum, she might be gone, but he Knew. He Knew that she loved him, because her hands had shook and tears had streamed down her face and she'd said so herself, and mother has never lied, even in death, not really.

Luffy stands and looks, the room is bear beside the spider webs and broken crates. The stairs are obviously old, no doubt they'll make noises the same way the stairs back home did, maybe even loud enough to bring the bad people down here. He takes his small mercies where he get's them; he knows he's lucky to still be alive at this point.

There were no windows, Luffy realized with a sinking of his rubber heart, no windows, he pushed at some of the boards along the wall, pushed crawling along the floor, feeling for secret passages like in the stories mother used to read him when he was younger. He decides the people who live in this house are boring, what kind of person doesn't have secret passages in their creepy basement, after all? But that leaves one option, and from those same stories Luffy knew that the last option usually gets the Great Hero into a Bad Place. But if he's lucky, and if he's quiet, and if he's really slow, then maybe he can get out no problem.

So, with the thought of his mother in mind, Luffy creeps up the stairs, clenching to the rail like a lifetime, knowing from trial and error of Midnight Fridge Raids that the middle of the Creepy Wooden Steps is always the loudest most creakiest place of the step. With nail biting trepidation, Luffy reached the top of the steps and with new horror realized something new about the situation: the door was closed, and most probably locked.

Gently, he reached forward and gently he turned and gently he banged his head against the walls, for the door was locked and he had no key. He could feel the faucet loosening, the dam breaking as he fought valiantly the tears that threatened him. Luffy would not cry, not here, he told himself, not where they can hear you! His breath evened out; calm again he listened against the door for footstep, voices, anything that could show the Bad Guys position. Hearing nothing, Luffy nearly resigned himself to breaking the door down when he looked at his hand.

His hand, the hand made of rubber, the rubber that could contort around the shape of a bullet and bounce it back. Shaking his head in denial, for it surly couldn't be that easy, he put a single finger to the keyhole and _pushed._

Immediately he knew that he did _not_ like the way it felt, his finger being squished and molded to conform to the shape, he managed to get enough of his finger in though that he was just beginning to feel hope when he hit a small snag in his plan.

He'd hit bone, and while his bone was just a rubbery as his flesh it wasn't as unyielding, wasn't as contortable as his flesh. With time, Ace had said once, with time and training, someday his bone would bend anyway he wanted it. But Luffy has never been very interested in learning how to bend his bones, to squish and expand them. Just getting them to stretch with his punches was enough for him. Obviously, Luffy now realized, he'd been mistaken. And he vowed that when he got out of here he'd train until he could bend his bone in a thousand different ways without breaking them.

For now though, Luffy saw no other option. He reached with his other hand, eyes clenched as tightly as his hand, and _twisted,_ and _bended_ the appendage until it dislocated from the bones in his palm and snapped his half. He shuddered, tears springing to his eyes and he bit his lip until he bled, but he did not let the tears out and he did not cry. Shaking, he merely put the now loosely flopping appendage to the keyhole once more, this time the rubber tool slipped with little resistance into the tight space, the rubber automatically contorting to the shape of the mechanism. Luffy twisted his finger slowly, shuddering at the way it felt to have gears and levy's scraping over his finger, until the lock popped open with a quiet _click_.

Carefully, Luffy pulled his finger out of the keyhole, clenching it with his other hand to his chest, cradling it, as if it would make the pain fade away faster. He breathed deeply, once, twice, three times and proceeded in grasping the doorknob and turning it slowly.

Let it never be said that Luffy can never be quiet, never be patient, and never be stealthy, for that night, for it was night as a quick glance out the window told Luffy, Luffy slunk around the house with all the grace of the spies and ninja that occupied every little boy's dreams. Half of him expected to be caught and gutted at any moment, his intestine strewn about in a freezer to be sold to smiling children (his imagination getting the better of his grief and weary brain) but all of him was focused on simply getting out.

In addition, get out he did, the door to the outside now waited before him, as if teasing. He glanced around the room, his heart pounding and every instinct screaming at him to run as fast as he could to the door to his freedom. He was nervous, was there no one here to guard him? Keep him from escaping? Something?

But no, there was no one there, so with the air of a madman Luffy sprinted for the door and threw it open, running off into the darkened alley he knew to be right off of Main Street. He ran into Main Street, no longer bothering to stick to shadows and cling to walls, for Luffy has always been naturally exuberant.

He paused now, lost, confused, and scared. Where would he go now? There are no allies here, no mother to return to…or is there? For down the street, walking briskly was a woman with long black hair. Immediately the tears fell through, it had been a dream! All of it! None of it had ever happened! His mother was there, walking in the street, bright as day and alive as ever! Without thinking of anything further, he bolted from his corner of street, running towards mother with tears burring his vision until nothing but a moving blob of long swishing black hair remained.

She stopped, looking around, obviously hearing his running steps. She turned around but Luffy didn't see as he was already in the process of burying his face into her shirt, arms wrapped around her like a lifeline, snot and tears being rubbed into her shirt as he struggled to get as close as possible to mother.

"Mom! Mommomommommommommom!" Luffy blubbered into her shirt, a happy smile on his face as he allowed the nightmare to fade away into nothingness.

"Don't call me mom, Demon Child!"

He looked up, confused at the nasally voice that answered and Luffy's eyes widened as tears of a different kind entered his eyes.

Oh. That's not mom.


End file.
